Balimaya Project
Born from the fusion of West African rhythms and the vibrant sounds of London, feel the beat of the Balimaya Project in this multi-genre concert.
Born to a Nigerian mother and a Senegalese father, Yahael Camara Onono grew up surrounded by the rhythms of the diaspora, while also absorbing the multi-genre lingua franca of London’s hybrid music scenes, developing what he calls a ‘London ear’ for the way the city’s jazz, grime and funky house sounds were underpinned by African and Caribbean rhythmic influence.
Fuelled by a desire to redefine West African music’s diasporic journey, Camara Onono assembled a 16-piece band, uniting generations and backgrounds in a celebration of cultural fusion.
‘I’ve always wanted to do something that is an accurate representation of how West African music is perceived in the diaspora, and how it comes into contact with other genres and something that accurately expresses my musical trajectory,’ he explains.
From the grooves of Nahawa Doumbia to the beats of Vybz Kartel, Balimaya Project weaves a tapestry of influences, bridging continents and genres.
Supported by Jazz Re:freshed, Balimaya Project embraces the ‘third culture’ of second-generation migrants, drawing on the talent and expertise of London-based musicians from Burkina Faso to the Gambia to engage intentionally with the musical and cultural nuances often overlooked in the discourse around music from the African continent.
Need to know
Haze and strobe may be used during this performance.
Doors: 7pm
Stage time: 7.30pm
Please check final stage times here on the day of the event.
Access
Feel music in new ways at this event with Beat Blocks, a powerful multi-sensory interactive flooring system. Beat Blocks translates sound into vibrations, adding to the sensory immersion, and providing another way to experience events for those sensory impairments.
For your visit
This event is held at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Southbank Centre
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.
Plan your visit
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is home to both our second-largest auditorium and the Purcell Room.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.